William e



4N0 Model.) I W. ELRIOHARDS.

ADJUSTABLE SHELF PARTITION.

No. 502,321. Patented Aug j, 1893.

WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. RICHARDS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ADJUSTABLE SHELF-PARTITION.

SPECIFICATIOH forming part of Letters Patent No. 502,321, dated August 1, 1893.

Application filed June 30, 1892. Serial No. 438,539- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM E. RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at 203 Broadway, in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Support for Books and other Like Articles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates to supports for books, pamphlets, and other like articles, and its objectis to construct a support that will hold such articles in an upright position upon the shelves of a bookcase, or upon a table, desk, mantel, or other surface or place; that shall be strong and durable, simple in construction, and inexpensive to manufacture. Such supports are particularly designed for use in libraries or oflices, where it frequently happens that some of the bookcase shelves are but partly filled with books, or where it is desired to arrange the books upon tables, desks or similar surfaces that are not provided with permanent side supports for retaining the books in an upright position. In such cases as these, the books or pamphlets, if left unsupported, will either fall down, or will incline toward the unsupported side, frequently bending and permanently injuring the leaves, or straining or breaking the binding.

Referring now to the drawings which illustrate the invention, and which form a part of this specification: Figure 1 is a perspective view of one of my supports viewed from the rear. Fig. 2, is a plan view. Fig. 3, is a front view. Fig. 4 is a view showing a metal blank from which the support shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, is made. Fig. 5, is a view showing a modified form of support. Fig. 6 illustrates another modified form of support. Fig. 7, shows a metal blank from which the support shown in Fig. 6, is made. Fig. 8 shows a shelf partly filled with books which are supported upon one side by one of my improved supports.

I prefer to construct my support from thin but strong sheet metal. It may, however, be made of any other suitable material such as wood, hard rubber or celluloid, and when formed of the latter substances, it may be worked, cast or molded into form. When made from sheet metal, its construction is very simple, it being cut out of a sheet or strip of metal by suitable dies, or in any other preferred way, and then bent up into shape.

My support consists, as will be seen in the drawings, of a base-plate or foot-piece A, an upright 13, projecting at right angles, or nearly so, from one end or side of the base-plate A, and the brace or braces O, for supporting the upright B.

I have shown my preferred form of support in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. In forming this support, the metal is first cutas shown in full linesin Fig. 4, thelines 1, 2, 3, showing the cut for forming the braces O. The metal is then bent on the line 5,so that the part A, which forms the foot-piece or base-plate is at right angles, or nearly so, to the part B, which forms the upright, and the parts 0, C, which form the braces for the upright B, are bent outward on the line 4., at right angles, or nearly so, to the upright B. The support thus formed, may then be japanned or varnished, and is ready for use. It should be noted that in this form of support, the central portion of the upright 13, is utilized to form the braces O, O, sufficient metal being left to form the sides I), b, of said upright, which will be sufficiently strong when thus braced, to support any usual weight that may be brought to bear upon them.

In forming the bend between the base-plate A, and the upright ]3, due allowance should be made for the thickness of the metal, so that the lower edges of the braces C, G, will be in the same plane as the bottom surface of the base-plate A, when the support is finished, so that both the bottom of the base-plate A, and the lower edges of the braces G, G, will bear or rest evenly upon the shelf or other surface upon which the support is to be used.

In Fig. 5, I have shown a modified form of support, in which a single brace C, is employed. In this support the brace G, is formed by cutting a tongue from the central portion of the metal forming the upright B, and the base-plate A, said tongue remaining attached to the upper part of the upright, and being bent outwardly from said upright, as shown in said Fig. 5, to formabrace therefor. In this construction also, the tongue should be cut of a sufficient length so that when it is bent back in the desired position to serve as a brace, its lower edge will be on the same plane as the bottom of the base-plate A.

In Fig. 6, I have shown another modification, the blank for forming this support, being shown in Fig. 7. In this construction the braces (l, O, are formed by cutting the metal blank on the lines 6, 7, (Fig. 7) and bending back the edges or sides of the upright B, on the lines 8, 8, to form the braces. The baseplate A, is then formed by bending the metal on the line 9. In making this bend, due al lowance should be made for the thickness of the metal to the end that the bottom edges of the braces G, 0, shall be on the same plane as the bottom of the base-plate A, so that both the braces and the base-plate shall rest firmly and evenly upon the shelf or other surface upon which the support is to be used. I have also shown in these figures a construction adapted to limit the movement of the support upon the shelf. By bending the outer edge of the base-plate A, upon the line 10, a depending flange or, portion, a is formed, which is adapted to engage with the outer edge of the shelf and prevent the support from sliding, or being moved to the back part of the shelf, and becoming lost among the books. The braces O, G, of my supports, also serve another useful purpose, in that they act as a stop, preventing the sharp edges of the upright from cutting or otherwise injuring the leaves of a book, in case the latter should be thrust carelessly against said upright.

In Fig. 8, I have shown the manner in which my support may be used upon the shelves of a bookcase. In this view, the letter E, indi: cates the permanent side wall of the bookcase, and F, a shelf of the same, G, G, being several books placed upon the shelf F, but not sufficient in number to completely fill the same so that they will be supported upon both sides, by the side walls of the bookcase. If these books are left unsupported upon one or both sides, they will either fall down or incline from the perpendicular, straining or breaking the binding or bending up the leaves, in either case tending to injure or destroy the value of the books. be supported upon the one side by the side wall E, of the bookcase, my support is placed at the other side, the base-plate A, being passed underneath the books next to the upright B, and between the bottoms of the books and the top of the shelf F. Said upright is then pressed up snugly against the side of the last book of the row. The weight of the books resting upon the base-plate A will hold the support down upon the shelf, while the upright B, will hold the books in an upright position, the braces O, O, strengthening and supporting said upright, and preventing the Supposing the books to upright from being bent over or crushed by reason of the weight of the books.

Where it is desired to support a row of books upon a desk or table, or upon any other surface which is not provided with permanent side supports, it is only necessary to arrange one of mysupports at either side of the books, when they will be held in an upright position between said supports.

It should be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction shown in the drawings; various modifications in the manner of forming the braces for the upright, will suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art to which this invention relates. Nor do I claim broadly a book support formed of a sheet of metal or its equivalent, merely bent at right angles to form a base-plate and an upright, for such supports have been used before. Such supports as last described, are however neither strong, serviceable, nor durable, as the upright being Withouta brace or support to strengthen it, will quicklybecome bent, crushed, or broken, by reason of the weight of the books resting or falling against it when in use, and the whole support will then be useless.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. Asupport for books and other like articles formed of a single sheet of metal, consisting of a base plate adapted to be inserted beneath the books, an upright extending therefrom and a brace projecting in a direction opposite to the base plate and connected to the upright above the plane thereof with its lower edge in the plane of the base plate, substantially as described.

2. A support for books and like articles formed of sheet metal, consisting of a base plate, an upright extending therefrom, a brace connected thereto above the plane of the base plate and extending in a direction opposite to said base plate, with its lower edge in the plane thereof and a flange depending from the base plate to engage the edge of the supporting surface, substantially as described.

3. A book support consisting of a base plate adapted to be inserted beneath the books, an upright rising from said base plate, said upright having a brace bent out therefrom at or near-the top thereof on the side opposite the base plate, and extending to the plane of the base plate, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.

WVILLIAM E. RICHARDS.

Witnesses:

E. K. STURTEVANT, E. B. BoLToN. 

